Exclusive Video: ‘The Talking Wind’
Plus, new European tour dates and Tony Dekker live from your backyard!
I recorded this version of ‘The Talking Wind’ along a section of the Bruce Trail in the Niagara Region.
I had my guitar with me and wasn’t exactly sure which song I was going to play, until the unusually breezy day whispered just enough to let me know this was the one to do. You can hear and see it in the leaves throughout this recording on my trusty iPhone.
Lyrically, the song is about finding a source of refuge in nature, seeing it in some ways personified as a sort of friend, and how sometimes weather patterns, like sensing the wind ‘speaking’ through the trees, can inspire us to feel connected to a force greater than ourselves. Being outdoors, particularly on the Bruce Trail, has been a big source of inspiration for me in recent years.
-Tony Dekker
The ‘In Pieces’ Tour
We’re very excited to share that Great Lake Swimmers will be returning to Europe this fall, with stops in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany in October 2024. More dates will be announced in the coming weeks, along with a special new project which we can’t wait to tell you about.
In the meantime, have a look below to see if there’s a concert happening near you.
Upcoming tour dates:
Oct 17 - London, UK - Rich Mix
Oct 18 - Sint-Niklaas, BE - De Casino
Oct 19 - Utrecht, NL - DB’s
Oct 20 - Arnnhem, NL - LUXOR
Oct 21 - Berlin, DE - Privatclub
Oct 22 - Oberhausen, DE - Ebertbad
Oct 23 - Hamburg, NL - Nochtwache
Oct 24 - Gronigen, NL - Lutherse Kerk
Oct 27 - Sittard, NL - VOLT
Oct 29 - Frankfurt, DE - Brotfabrij
Oct 30 - Den Haag, NL - PAARD
Tony Dekker In Your Backyard
Last week we introduced something new. In the grand tradition of the travelling troubadour, Tony Dekker, of Great Lake Swimmers, is testing out making himself available for small gatherings in your living room, cottage, or backyard. Keeping it casual, he’d show up with his guitar, play and sing some songs from across the eight-album, twenty-year Great Lake Swimmers catalogue, tell a few stories about life on the road, hang out, eat chips, and even entertain a cover song or two. How many Gordon Lightfoot songs does Tony know how to play? This could be your chance to find out.
The fee would depend on a few different factors, like travel, timing, etc. with the hope that it’d make sense for everyone and either line up with existing Great Lake Swimmers tour dates or fall on a timeline where the band is having some downtime and Tony is free to roam. And if the timing or travel doesn’t exactly work out at the moment, maybe there’d be a chance to connect down the road.
So in a nutshell: drop us a line if you’d like to connect and possibly have Tony over. He’s a great guest, host and lake swimmer, and his particular variety of songwriting actually works really well in small, intimate gatherings. Above all, this unique performance experience is a chance to create a space where people come together to celebrate art, foster community, and ignite the spark of creativity in a cozy and inclusive setting.
Fill out the form below to express your interest and get the conversation started.
Upcoming Shows
